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AppNexus tracking 748% explosion in connected TV ad sales

AppNexus said it’s seeing more than 20 billion monthly connected TV impressions per month across smart TVs, set top boxes and game consoles. (Pixabay)

AppNexus, the ad tech firm that was just scooped up by AT&T for $1.6 billion, said it has seen a rapid acceleration in ad spending on its connected TV marketplace.

The company said it tracked 748% year-over-year growth and 69% quarter-over-quarter growth during the second quarter of this year.

“Programmatic connected TV provides the ideal environment to target audiences in their living rooms with entertaining, high-definition creatives,” said Eric Hoffert, senior vice president of video technology at AppNexus, in a statement. “It’s a perfect fit for many advertisers seeking highly engaged viewers, particularly in the entertainment, news and sports verticals. We’re thrilled to see an increasing number of clients selecting our connected TV technology platform.”

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AppNexus said its clients include ad-supported video streaming service Tubi and Operam, a programmatic buyer in the movie and entertainment industry.

“Our movie studio clients come to us to deliver campaigns to promote films to millennials, cord cutters and pay TV subscribers,” said Brian Lam, director of programmatic for Operam, in a statement. “In less than one year, we’ve ramped our connected TV budget as a percentage of total digital ad spend on AppNexus from zero to approximately 50% or more, making connected TV a critical component of our strategy.”

The available technology and AppNexus’ rapid growth point toward AT&T’s reasons for snapping up the company as it prepares to launch its own real-time ad exchange.

“Ad tech unites real-time analytics and technology with our premium TV and video content,” said AT&T division CEO Brian Lesser in a statement. “So, we went out and found the strongest player in the space. AppNexus has scale of infrastructure, advanced technology and diverse talent. The combination of AT&T advertising & analytics and AppNexus will help deliver a world-class advertising platform that provides brands and publishers a new and innovative way to reach consumers in the marketplace today.”